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Sunday, 13 August 2017

Rev Hilary Odili Okeke reacts to the backlash suffered by the church for collecting the building from the alleged drug baron

The Bishop of the Nnewi Diocese, Most Rev Hilary Odili Okeke, has
explained why the church does not investigate the source of income of
those who give it offerings and donations. The leadership of St
Phillips Catholic Church in Ozubulu have been under serious attack after
reports emerged that last Sunday's massacre in the church was a fallout
of a business deal between two drug lords, one of whom had donated a
building to the church.

Reacting to the backlash suffered by the church for collecting the building from the alleged drug baron, the Bishop said

"If you get the information that the person is making his money
through a dubious way in criminality, then you know what to do. It is
not just a question of anybody who brings money or offers anything to
the church, you go to the police and ask them to investigate this man’s
source of wealth before you accept it. It is not done. If you do it,
then even in the church we should not be accepting any money because
evil people can come to church and give. It is God who knows if the
person is giving the money from criminal or immoral source. God knows
everybody and will reward the person accordingly. If you know that the
person is a criminal that is when you now tell him, my man go and
change.”he said

He also lashed out at some parishioners who have called for his resignation following the attack.
“They themselves will resign first. If they want me to resign, let
them resign first. Let them resign. People just open their mouth and
begin to say what they like and you should not listen to all that people
say. If people who know everything will come out and bring any
criminality upon the bishop, bishop will take action, the church will
take action. Not that someone opens his mouth to say whatever he likes.
They are free to say whatever they want to say.”